RULE 52. FINDINGS BY THE COURTAND CONCLUSIONS IN A NONJURY
PROCEEDING; JUDGMENT ON PARTIAL FINDINGS

(a) EffectFindings and Conclusions.

In all actions tried upon the facts without a jury or with an advisory jury, the court
shall find
the facts specially and state separately its conclusions of law thereon and direct the entry of
the appropriate judgment; and in granting or refusing temporary injunctions the court shall
similarly set forth the findings of fact and conclusions of law which constitute the grounds
of its actions. Requests for findings are not necessary for purposes of review. Findings of
fact, including findings in juvenile matters, whether based on oral or documentary evidence,
shall not be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and due regard shall be given to the
opportunity of the trial court to judge the credibility of the witnesses. The findings of a
master or juvenile referee, to the extent that the court adopts them, shall be considered as the
findings of the court. It will be sufficient if the findings of fact and conclusions of law are
stated orally and recorded in open court following the close of the evidence or appear in an
opinion or memorandum of decision filed by the court. Findings of fact and conclusions of
law are unnecessary on decisions of motions under Rules 12 or 56 or any other motion
except as provided in subdivision (c) of this rule.

(1) In General. In an action tried on the facts without a jury or with an advisory jury,
the
court must find the facts specially and state its conclusions of law separately. The findings
and conclusions may be stated on the record after the close of the evidence or may appear
in an opinion or a memorandum of decision filed by the court.

(2) For an Interlocutory Injunction. In granting or refusing an interlocutory injunction,
the
court must similarly state the findings and conclusions that support its action.

(3) For a Motion. The court is not required to state findings or conclusions when ruling
on
a motion under Rule 12 or 56 or, unless these rules provide otherwise, on any other motion.

(4) Effect of a Master's Findings. A master's findings, to the extent adopted by the
court,
must be considered the court's findings.

(5) Questioning the Evidentiary Support. A party may later question the sufficiency of
the
evidence supporting the findings, whether or not the party requested findings, objected to
them, moved to amend them, or moved for partial findings.

(6) Setting Aside the Findings. Findings of fact, including findings in juvenile matters,
whether based on oral or other evidence, must not be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and
the reviewing court must give due regard to the trial court's opportunity to judge the
witnesses' credibility.

(b) AmendmentAmended or Additional Findings.

On motion served and filed no later than 15 days after notice of entry of judgment
the court
may amend its findings -- or make additional findings -- and may amend the judgment. The
motion may accompany a motion for a new trial under Rule 59. When findings of fact are
made in actions tried without a jury, the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the findings
may be later questioned whether or not the party raising the question in the district court
objected to the findings, moved to amend them, or moved for partial findings.

On a party's motion filed no later than 10 days after the entry of judgment, the court
may
amend its findings ­ or make additional findings ­ and may amend the judgment
accordingly. The motion may accompany a motion for a new trial under Rule 59.

(c) Judgment on Partial Findings.

If during a trial without a jury a party has been fully heard on an issue and the court
finds
against the party on that issue, the court may enter judgment as a matter of law against that
party with respect to a claim, or defense that cannot under the controlling law be maintained
or defeated without a favorable finding on that issue, or the court may decline to render any
judgment until the close of all the evidence. Such a judgment shall be supported by findings
of fact and conclusions of law as required by subdivision (a) of this rule.

If a party has been fully heard on an issue during a nonjury trial and the court finds
against
the party on that issue, the court may enter judgment against the party on a claim or defense
that, under the controlling law, can be maintained or defeated only with a favorable finding
on that issue. The court may, however, decline to render any judgment until the close of the
evidence. A judgment on partial findings must be supported by findings of fact and
conclusions of law as required by Rule 52(a).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Rule 52 was amended, effective August 1, 1971; March 1, 1986; March 1, 1994; March 1,
1997; March 1, 1998; March 1, 2004;___________________.

A choice between two permissible views of the evidence is not clearly erroneous when the
trial court's findings are based either on physical or documentary evidence, or inferences
from other facts, or on credibility determinations. Prior decisions of the supreme court to the
contrary are to be disregarded.

Subdivision (a) was amended, effective March 1, 1994, to expressly provide that findings
of fact, whether based on oral or documentary evidence, are not to be set aside unless clearly
erroneous. Subdivision (a) was further amended, effective March 1, 2004, to provide that
findings of fact in juvenile matters, including referee findings adopted by the district court,
are not to be set aside unless clearly erroneous. Prior decisions of the supreme court to the
contrary are to be disregarded.

Subdivision (c) was added, effective March 1, 1994, to track the 1991 federal amendment,
by authorizing the court in a non-jury trial to enter judgment at any time that the court can
make a dispositive finding of fact on the evidence against any party. The new subdivision
replaces part of Rule 41(b), which formerly authorized a dismissal at the close of the
plaintiff's case if the plaintiff had failed to carry an essential burden of proof.

See RuleN.D.R.Ct. 7.1, N.D.R.Ct., which
concernsexplains the preparation of orders,
decrees, findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Rule 52 was amended, effective _______________, in response to the December 1,
2007,
revision of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The language and organization of the rule
were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology
consistent throughout the rules.